Raja Birla Clock Tower, Haridwar

 

"The Timeless Sentinel of Har Ki Pauri”

– Haridwar's Raja Birla Clock Tower beneath the sacred Night Sky."

 

Haridwar   the   sacred gateway to the Himalayas, a city famed for Har Ki Pauri, the Ganga aarti, and its deep Hindu pilgrimage tradition. The phrase “the mystic Haridwar” usually points to that spiritual atmosphere rather than a formal title.  It is one of the oldest living cities in India and is closely linked with the Ganga’s descent into the plains. 

A n important place in Haridwar is – “Har ki Pauri”

"Har Ki Pauri" literally means "The Steps of Hari (Lord Vishnu)."  Tradition holds that Lord Vishnu's footprint is preserved at the sacred Brahma Kund – the  drops of Amrut (the nectar of immortality) fell at this place during the episode of Samudra Manthan, making it one of Hinduism's holiest pilgrimage sites.  The evening Ganga Aarti, with hundreds of oil lamps offered to the river, is among India's most moving spiritual ceremonies.

Pictured here is the famous Clock Tower (Ghantaghar or Raja Birla Clock Tower) at Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

The tower is officially known as the Raja Birla Clock Tower. It was built in 1938 by Raja Baldev Das Birla and stands about 66 feet (20 m) tall. It has a clock on all four sides and has become one of the most recognizable landmarks of Haridwar.   The tower stands on Malviya Island, opposite the sacred bathing steps of Har Ki Pauri.    

It was taken on 2.10.2019 around 6.40 pm – with Sun setting around half an hour or so earlier, it was   deep blue-black.  The tower illumination had just begun to dominate the scene, which gives it that beautiful warm glow.  This photo  captures the transition from dusk to night—the "blue hour" having just ended—when the illuminated sandstone and brickwork stand out vividly against the darkening sky.

Interesting !

Regards – S Sampathkumar
15.7.2026
 

 

Plane in Tower !!

 

With lateral thinking, nothing is impossible !!

 

King's son wanted elephant inside the pot ! .. .. [akin to plane inside tower!]

and Tenali Rama obliged !!

 

Do Parrots eat wood !! ??

 

The Hidden Residents of T. Nagar !! ~ what was your breakfast ??

 

A picture taken a couple of years ago in busy T Nagar (Venkat Narayana Road) – Parakeets pecking and perhaps eating tiny fragments of age-old tree !

 

Rose-ringed Parakeets   do not eat wood. What you captured is actually an interesting natural behavior.  Perhaps they were searching for insects or grubs: Dead or decaying wood often contains beetle larvae, termites and other insects. Parakeets sometimes chip away at soft wood to reach these protein-rich morsels. They occasionally gnaw bark and decaying wood to obtain trace minerals or simply to wear down their constantly growing beaks. 

Rose-ringed Parakeets are cavity nesters.  they may have been enlarging an existing hole in the tree for nesting.   Occasionally they peel bark to reach seeds hidden in crevices or to taste sap, though this is less common. 

It  is the reality of  urban wildlife surviving amidst concrete and traffic. 

Thousands of vehicles roared past that old tree every hour. Yet, within its weathered trunk, generations of parakeets had found a home.  A parakeet perched quietly on a branch is always a pleasing sight. But two parakeets busily chiselling away at the weathered trunk of an old tree, right in the heart of bustling T. Nagar, tell a far deeper story. Amidst the incessant roar of traffic, concrete buildings and urban bustle, these vibrant birds continue to find shelter, raise their young and carry on the timeless rhythms of nature. It is a gentle reminder that the city is not ours alone; even in the most crowded neighbourhoods, wildlife quietly adapts, survives and coexists with us.

 
Interesting !
 
Regards – S Sampathkumar
14.7.2026
 

 

 

 

chittukuruvis

 

Sparrow speak !!

the one in front (presumably husband) moment of saying

- 'yes, madam, I am sincerely listening !' to his beautiful spouse

 - while someone is testing her wings in the background